Bracket for awning blinds



May 10, 1938. c. J. HEssE 2,115,972

' BRACKET FOR AWNING BLINDS Filed Feb. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 15, 23 Fl i CHA RILES JOMZPH 'I TE'ES SE B Y g (P25,

ATTORNEYS y 1938- v c. J. HESSE I 2,116,972

BRACKET FOR AWNING BLINDS Filed Feb. 28, 934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CHARLE5 JOSEPH HESSE WWW 3r ATTORNEYS Patented May 10, 1938 PATENT OFFICE BRACKET FOR AWNING BLINDS Charles Joseph Hesse, Footscray, Victoria, Australia Application February 28, 1934, Serial No. 713,291

In Australia March 3, 1933 17 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in and connected with adjustable supporting brackets for awning blinds and the like and refers especially, but is not limited, to means for supporting the free ends of awning blinds attached to spring roller mechanism.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and convenient means whereby awning blinds and the like may be readily caused to cover desired portions of window and like openings of buildings, automobiles and the like and whereby said means may be easily rendered inoperative as and when desired.

Broadly the invention resides in the provision of means for supporting awning blinds and the like comprising a movable supporting arm having a portion of a blind connected thereto, supporting means for another portion of the blind, a guide cooperating with the supporting arm whereby the latter may be moved towards and from the said supporting means for the blind, and means for imparting a tension to the blind, and constructed and arranged in such a way that the tension of the blind imparts a turning mo- 5 ment to the supporting arm to cause the latter to normally bind on the said guide.

Preferably a guide rail is arranged at each side of a window or like opening, said guide rails being engaged by an opposed pair of supporting arms, and said supporting arms being provided with spaced projections such as rollers adapted to firmly bear against the front and rear faces of the said guide rails when a tension is exerted on said arms by the blind.

The guides intermediate their ends may be substantially straight or curved whilst their ends (particularly their upper ends) are preferably rounded or otherwise so shaped as to enable the said arms to move angularly therearound and assume substantially vertical positions.

The rollers or other locking projections on the arms are preferably, though not necessarily, so arranged on said arms that, when the latter are in their looking positions, the said arms make an angle of somewhat more than 90 with the portions of the guides disposed between said arms and the blind roller.

In one form of the invention, each supporting arm may be hinged to a bracket slidable on the corresponding guide rail, suitable means being provided for locking said hinged arm in one or more positions on thesaid slidable member.

Preferably this hinge embodies a pivot pin of I rectangular cross-section mounted in a bearing opening provided with one or more radial slots of such width as to accommodate a portion of the pivot pin whereby the arm may be locked in positions corresponding thereto.

The upper ends of the guides may be formed with locking means adapted to coact with the slidable brackets whereby the latter are retained in their raised positions independently of the tension of the blind. A

Reference will now be made to the drawings which illustrate preferred forms of the invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an awning blind and associated mechanism constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a View in elevation and partly in section of portion of the mechanism shown in Figure l. t

Figure 3 is a view in sectional plan taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a View in elevation of portion of a telescopic supporting arm.

Figure 5 is a View in plan of the telescopic arm shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a View in elevation of portion of the actuating arm and associated bracket shown in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a view in elevation showing a guide rail of convex shape and associated supporting arm.

Figure 8 is a view in elevation showing a modle fication of the gripping member on a supporting,

arm,

Figures 9 and 10 are views in elevation and sectional elevation respectively showing a further modification of the supporting arm.

Figure 11 is a View in elevation illustrating a modification in which a supporting arm is pivotally connected to a gripping member slidably mounted on a guide rail.

Figure 12 is a view in sectional elevation of the device shown in Figure 11. i

Figure 13 is a view in perspective illustrating a further modified form of the invention; and

Figure 14 is an elevation of a modification.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, the reference numeral 1 ll designates a spring roller mounted on brackets H above a window opening I 2, the said roller 10 preferably being of the type provided internally with an axial strip of rubber in lieu of a coiled torsion spring, said rubber strip being adapted to be twisted about its axis when the roller is rotated in one direction.

A blind is mounted on the roller H] has its free end connected to a cross bar [4 rigidly cured to the free ends of a pair of supporting arms i5. I

These supporting arms I5 may conveniently consist of flat metal strips, as illustrated, and their inner ends are forked when viewed in plan whereby they extend on opposite sides of corre sponding guide rails It arranged vertically at each side of the window opening and below the roller I0.

The guide rails as illustrated are of rectangular shape in cross section though they may be circular or of other convenient form and their upper and lower ends are of semi-circular formation as shown so that the free ends thereof are directed towards each other and serve for attachment to the window frame. It will be noted that the side edges of the extended portion of the blind are disposed vertically when the device is viewed in front elevation; in other words, these side edges are parallel to the guide rails when the device is viewed from the front.

A pair of abutment members consisting of rollers I! are arranged between the forked inner ends of each of the supporting arms E5, these rollers being spaced longitudinally of the arm whereby they may engage the front and rear faces of the respective guide rail iii.

The roller I'I adapted to engage the front face of the guide rail is disposed above the level of the roller adapted to engage the rear face thereof whereby, when a tension is imparted to the supporting arms by the blind i3, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, said rollers will firmly grip the front and rear faces of the guide rails, thus retaining the supporting arms in adjusted positions thereon.

It will furthermore be clear that, when a downward pressure is exerted on the cross bar I4 connected to the outer ends of the supporting arms I5, the binding action of the said rollers II will be relieved whereby the said supporting arms may be moved downwards along the guide rails and, when the said downward pressure is released, the tension of the blind will immediately cause the said rollers to retain the supporting arms in their adjusted positions.

Furthermore, when the tension exerted on the supporting arms is neutralized by imparting a downward pressure thereto and when this down- .ward pressure is gradually relieved, preferably accompanied by an inward pressure along the supporting arms, these arms are moved upwards along the guide rails and, during this movement, portion of the blind is automatically re- 'wound on the roller I0.

Preferably, when the supporting arms are in the position shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2, the angle A is somewhat greater than 90, so that the inward component of the pressure exerted on the supporting arms by the tension caused to assume downwardly directed vertical positions at the lower ends of said rails, whereby the blind I3 will be disposed substantially parallel to the window opening.

Ordinarily the blind I3 is raised and lowered by the direct manipulation of the cross bar I4 connected to the outer ends of the supporting arms I5. In cases, however, where it is inconvenient to operate the blind in this manner, I may provide an operating arm I8 which is pivotally connected to a bracket I9 arranged below one of the guide rails I6, as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. The outer end of the arm I3 is fitted with a roller 20 and a flexible connection 2i attached to the outer end of the corresponding supporting arm I5 passes to and around the roller 20 and then through an opening in the bracket I 9 to the interior of the room.

When the blind is in its inoperative position, i. e., when the supporting arms I5 are disposed vertically, as shown in chain dotted lines at the left of Figure 1, and a tension is imparted to the flexible connection 2|, the operating arm I8 is swung outwards into a horizontal position (see broken lines in Figure 1) where its further movement is arrested by the end of said arm contacting with the face of the bracket I9 (see Figure 6). When the operating arm I8 is in this horizontal position the flexible connection 2| extends upwards and inwards tothe respective supporting arms I5 so that, when a further tension is imparted to the said flexible connection, the supporting arms I5 are pulled downwards and outwards into a substantially horizontal position, at the same time unwinding the blind I3 from the roller I and it will be clear that in this way the said arms I may be displaced downwards along the guide rails I6 to any desired extent.

When the tension on the connection 2I is relieved, the supporting arms I5 are automatically retained in their adjusted positions owing to the gripping action of the rollers I1 occasioned by the tension of the blind I3 and at the same time the operating arm I8 returns to its inoperative position.

In order that the supporting arms I5 may be raised either to their vertical inoperative positions or to some intermediate position, a further flexible connection 22 is provided, said connection passing direct from the outer end of the arms I5 through the bracket I9 to the interior of the room.

When a tension is exerted on this flexible connection, 22, it relieves the tension of the blind 23 on the supporting arms I5 and causes an inward thrust to be exerted on said arms and, as previously stated, these supporting arms I5 are preferably so arranged that, when a thrust thereon is exerted, it has an upward component tending to restore the arms to their inoperative or other elevated positions.

In the case of wide blinds it is necessary to provide an operating arm as I8 at each side of the window opening in order to avoid undue twisting of the structure formed by the opposed supporting arms I5 and the cross bar I4.

In such cases the respective flexible connections 2| may be connected either inside or outside the room or the like whereby the said operating arms may be actuated in unison.

Alternatively a single operating arm I8 may be mounted centrally below the window opening H. in which case the flexible connection 2| is attached to the center of the cross bar Id.

Figures 4 and 5 show a modification of the invention wherein the supporting arms I 5 are of telescopic construction, for which purpose the outer end of the inner portion I5 of the arm is provided with a guide loop 23 through which the outer portion I 5 of the supporting arm is free to slide. Similarly, the inner end of the outer ill,

It will be clear, however, that any other con venient form of telescopic arm may be provided. Telescopic supporting arms are advantageous in cases where it is desired to arrange the upper ends of the guide rails I6 relatively close to the blind roller III, while, at the same time, enabling the lower end of the blind to extend outwards a sufiiciently great distance from the window opening.

In such cases, of course, the telescopic arms are extended when in substantially horizontal operative positions and are contracted when in their raised inoperative positions corresponding to the broken lines at the left upper portion of Figure 1.

In the modification shown in Figure '7 of the drawings, the guide rail I6 is of convex shape whilst its upper and lower portions are disposed substantially horizontally.

This construction enables the supporting arm to be retained in various angular attitudes as indicated in full and broken lines in that figure.

Figure 8 illustrates. a further modification in which the gripping rollers II, shown in the previous figures, are dispensed with. In this construction the inner end of the supporting arm i5 is forked when viewed in elevation, the upper lug of the fork being provided with an open ended slot 25, whilst the lower lug is provided with a slot 26, thus forming spaced .abutments 21 for engaging the front and rear faces of the guide rail I6.

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate a further modification in which the supporting arm I5 consists of a metal rod having its inner end 28 of helical formation to embrace the guide rail I6. H

In the modification shown in Figure-:14 the supporting arm I5 is rigidly connected to a sleeve provided with a hole. through which the guide rail passes, said hole being preferably of somewhat larger size than the guide rail to enable the supporting arm I5 to tilt somewhat when the tension of the blind I3 is imparted thereto whereby a more effective binding action will be obtained.

In the constructions shown in Figures 11 and 12, the supporting arm I5 is hingedly connected to a locking bracket 29 having upper and lower lugs 30 and 3| provided with aligned holes through which the guide rail I6 passes.

The locking bracket 29 is formed integrally with a bearing 32 having a circular opening with which communicates a horizontal slot 33.

The inner end of the supporting arm I5 is formed with a laterally projecting pivot pin 34 of substantially rectangular shape in cross section whereby one end thereof may enter the slot 33 when the arm I5 is moved downwards into a horizontal position as shown in Figure 11.

It will be noted that the tension exertedby the blind on the said supporting arm when the latter is in its horizontal position serves to retain the pivot pin in locking engagement with the slot 33. The outer end of the pivot pin may be fitted with a keeper plate 35.

In order to return the supporting arm I5 and blind I3 to their inoperative positions from the condition shown in Figure 11, an outward pressure is first exerted on the supporting arm I5 to remove the pivot pin 34 from the slot 33.

Upon releasing the arm I5 the tension of the blind then swings same into a substantially vertical position as in Figure 12 whereupon the arm and locking bracket 29 are moved upwards 'by the tension of the blind.

In order that the locking bracket 29 may be retained in its raised inoperative position independently of the tension of the blind I3, a slot 36 is provided in an upper portion of the rear face of the guide rail I6, and a light spring 31 fitted to the locking bracket 29 engages the front face of the guide rail in order that the upper lug on the locking bracket will be moved forwards into engagement with said slot when the bracket is raised to its inoperative position.

In the further modification shown in Figure 13 of the drawings, I provide a guide slot 38 in lieu of a guide rail I 6 as shown in the previous figures. This guide slot 38 accommodates a block 39 of.

somewhat less width than the slot and which is rigidly secured to the inner end of the supporting arm I5 which latte-r, if desired, may be formed integrally with the cross bar I4.

It will be clear that, when a turning moment is exerted on the supporting arm I5 by the tension of the blind I3, the block 39 will undergo a slight angular displacement to firmly engagethe sides of-the slot 38 and retain the said supporting arm in its adjusted position.

The guide slot 38 may be curved at its upper end as shown to enable the supporting arm I5 to assume a vertical position when. not in use.

In lieu of mounting the roller III for the blind I3 above the window opening I2 it will be clear that the roller may be supported transversely at the outer ends of the supporting arms I5 and when this construction is adopted, one end of the said blind may be secured by suitable supporting means to the wall or the like above the window opening.

I claim: I

1. Means for supporting awning blinds comprising the combination, with supporting means disposed in a fixed position for supporting a portion of the blind, of a spaced pair of guide rails extending substantially at right angles to said supporting means, an opposed pair of inflexible supporting arms mounted to individually move bodily on said guide rails, a transverse member connecting outer portions of the inflexible supporting arms and having a portion of the blind connected thereto, means for resiliently exerting a tension on the blind, an abutment on each of said inflexible supporting arms arranged to engage the front face of the respectively coacting guide rail, and an abutment on each of said inflexible supporting arms arranged to engage the rear face of the respectively coacting guide rail, which last mentioned abutments are disposed more remotely from said supporting means than the first mentioned abutments.

2. Means for supporting awning blinds, comprising a rotatively mounted spring roller, a blind mounted thereon, a spaced pair of guide rails extending substantially at right angles to the roller, a pair of inflexible movable supporting arms adapted to extend outwards from and be bodily movable upon said guide rails, spaced abutments on the inner ends of the inflexible supporting arms and arranged to bear against. the front and rear faces of the respective guide rails, the abutments which are arranged to engage the front faces of the guide rails being disposed nearer to said roller than the abutments ar-,

ranged to bear against the rear faces of the guide: rails, and a transverse member connecting outer I so portions of the inflexible supporting arms and having the free end of the blind connected thereto.

3. Means for supporting awning blinds comprising a fixed support, a spring roller mounted horizontally on said fixed support, a blind adapted to be wound on the roller, a spaced pair of parallel guide rails disposed substantially vertically below and in approximate alignment with the ends of the roller, a pair of inflexible supporting arms adapted to extend substantially at right angles to the said guide rails, and be movable bodily therealong, spaced abutments on the inner end of each inflexible supporting arm arranged to bear against the front and rear faces of the coacting guide rail, the particular abutment which is arranged to engage the front face of the guide rail being disposed closer to the roller than the other abutment, which is arranged to engage the rear face of said guide rail, and a transverse member connecting the outer ends of the inflexible supporting arms and having the free end of the blind connected thereto.

4. Means-for supporting awning blinds according to claim 2, wherein each of the guide rails is substantially straight for the greater portion of its length and the respectively coacting inflexible supporting arm, when in its operative position, makes an angle of, at least, and preferably more than 90 with the portion of said guide rail which is disposed between said arm and the roller.

5. Means for supporting awning blinds according to claim 3, wherein the inner end of each inflexible supporting arm is rigidly fitted with a forked extension straddling the respective guide rail involved so as to extend on opposite sides of said guide rail, and rollers constituting the abutments are mounted in the said forked extension to bear against the front and rear faces of the guide'rail.

6. Means for supporting awning blinds according to claim 2, wherein the inner end of each inflexible supporting arm is rigidly fitted with a forked extension which provides upper and lower lugs formed with slots therein to receive the guide rails.

'7. Means for supporting awning blinds according to claim 3, wherein the inner end of each jinflexible supporting arm is provided with a helix i order to cause the inflexible supporting arms to ,said'fixed supporting means into any one of a plurality of parallel positions, a connection between the blind and a portion of the inflexible supporting arm spaced from the guide, means for resiliently exerting a tension on the blind and tending to move the inflexible supporting arm angularly towards said fixed supporting means, and abutment means consisting of distinct abutment elements disposed at definite spaced positions upon the inflexible supporting arm making contact upon. the opposite front and rear surfaces of the rail at relatively staggered points when the'mentioned tension is exerted on said inflexible supporting arm, the particular abutment element which is adapted to engage the front surface of the rail being disposed closer to the fixed supporting means than the other abutment element which is adapted to engage the rear surface of said rail.

10. Means for supporting awning blinds, comprising the combination, with supporting means disposed in a fixed position for supporting a portion of the blind, of a rigid guide member fixed adjacent to' said supporting means, said guide member when viewed in front elevation being disposed substantially parallel to the side edges of the blind, a supporting arm extending outwardlyfromthe rigid guide member and bodily movable towards and from said supporting means, a connection between the blind and a portion of the supporting arm spaced from the guide member, means for exerting a tension on the blind, said tension tending to move the support ing arm angularly with respect to the rigid guide member and towards said supporting means, opposed operative surface portions on the guide member, one of said operative surface portions facing forwardly towards the free outer end of the supporting arm and the other of said operative surface portions facing rearwardly away therefrom, spaced abutment means at the inner end of the supporting arm and movable in unison therewith for engagement with the operative surface portions of the guide member at staggered points thereof, the abutment meansfor engagement with the rearwardly facing operative surface portion of the guide member being disposed more remotely from said supporting means for the blind than the abutment means for engagement with the forwardly facing operative surface portion of said guide member.

11. Means for supporting awning blinds according to claim 1, wherein at least one end of each guide member is curved inwardly away from the free outer end of the coacting supporting arm, so as to cause said supporting arm to move angularly therearound when said supporting arm is movedtoward said curved end.

12. In combination, a self-winding blind roller, fixed means rotatively supporting the blind roller, a blind attached to the blind roller, a spaced pair of guide rails fixed adjacent to the blind roller, said guide rails, when viewed in front elevation being disposed substantially parallel to each other and substantially at right angles to the axis of the blind roller, a supporting arm extending outwardly from each of said guide rails and bodily movable there along towards and from the blind roller, a transverse member connecting the supporting arms at points spaced from the guide rails, said blind being connected to the transverse member so that movement of the supporting arms away from the blind roller causes the blind to be paid off therefrom, spaced abutment elements at the inner end of each supporting arm, one of said abutment elements being engageable with the front surface of the respective guide rail, the other of said abutment elements being engageable with the rear surface of the guide rail and said last mentioned abutment element being disposed more remotely from the blind roller than the first mentioned abutment element so that the tension exerted on the supporting arms by the blind will normally cause i the abutment elements to exert a binding pressure onzthe said guide rails.

13. In combination, a spaced pair of guide rails disposed substantially parallel to each other, a supporting arm extending outwardly from each of said guide rails and movable bodily therealong, a transversely disposed self-winding blind roller, means rotatively supporting said blind roller on the supporting arms at positions spaced from the respective guide rails, a blind attached to the blind roller and partly wound thereon, a fixed support, means securing a transverse portion of said blind to the fixed support so that the portion of the blind extending from the blind roller to the fixed support inclines inwardly towards said guide rails, spaced abutment elements at the inner end of each supporting arm, one of said abutment elements being engageable with the front surface of the respective guide rail, the other of said abutment elements being engageable with the rear surface of said guide rail and said guide rail and said last mentioned abutment element being disposed more remotely from said fixed transverse portion of the blind than the first mentioned abutment element so that the tension exerted on the supporting arms by the blind will normally cause the abutment elements to exert a binding pressure on the said guide rails.

14. Means for supporting awning blinds, comprising the combination, with fixed supporting means for supporting a portion of the blind, of a rigid guide fixed adjacent to said supporting means, an outwardly extending inflexible supporting arm bodily movable on the rigid guide towards and from said fixed supporting means into anyone of a plurality of similar positions, a connection between the blind and a portion of the inflexible supporting arm spaced from the guide, means for resiliently exerting a tension in one direction on the blind and tending to move said inflexible supporting arm angularly towards said fixed supporting means, and abutment means disposed on the inflexible supporting arm and making supporting contact at different points with opposite sides of the guide when said tension is exerted in said one direction on said inflexible supporting arm, said guide means being formed with a guide slot extending towards the supporting means for the blind and abutment means comprising abutment elements arranged within said slot and adapted to respectively engage the opposite front and rear sides thereof, the particular abutment element which is adapted to engage the front side of said slot being disposed more remotely from the supporting means than the other abutment element which is adapted to engage the rear side of the same slot.

15. Means for supporting awning blinds and the like comprising a spring roller having a blind mounted thereon, a spaced pair of guide rails extending substantially at right angles to the roller, brackets slidably mounted on the guide rails, spaced abutments on the brackets arranged to bear against the front and rear faces of the respective guide rails, the particular abutments which are arranged to engage the front faces of the guide rails being disposed nearer to the roller than the other abutments, which are arranged to engage the rear faces of said guide rails, a supporting arm hingedly connected to each of the brackets and capable of movement between substantially vertical and outwardly extending, approximately horizontal positions, means for locking the supporting arm in the outwardly extending, approximately horizontal position on the brackets, and a transverse member connecting outer portions of the supporting arms and having the free end of the blind connected thereto.

16. Means for supporting awning blinds and the like according to claim 15, wherein the hinge connection between each supporting arm and its respective slidable bracket is formed with a circular bearing opening having at least one radial slot communicating therewith and has a substantially rectangular pivot pin arranged within the bearing opening and adapted to enter radial slot in order to lock said arms in an angular position corresponding thereto.

17. Means for supporting awning blinds and the like, comprising a spring roller having a blind mounted thereon, a spaced pair of guides extending substantially at right angles to the roller and having longitudinally disposed guide slots therein, a pair of supporting arms adapted to extend laterally from the guides, members on the inner ends of the supporting arms and accommodated in said guide slots, and a transverse member connecting outer portions of the supporting arms and having the free end of the blind connected thereto.

CHARLES JOSEPH HESSE. 

